Advancing Steps
by jm-oc-ja
Summary: JJ's arrested, Emily takes Abbey JJ's 5 year old daughter till everything gets sorted out at the police station. JJ/Will, JJ/Emily. Mentions of child abuse.
1. Chapter 1

"Will, don't you dare come a step closer!" JJ screamed, as Will advanced on her.

"Oh calm down, you're my wife! Your mine!" he yelled back.

"Will, step back and put the knife down, your drunk…"

"I'm just fine!" he yelled.

"Will, in front of Abbey?" JJ was down to begging now, her 5 year old daughter tucked behind her legs.

"Abbey get out of here!" Will yelled at the little girl who immediately started to cry.

"Abbey, honey, please go, go to your room, mommy will be ok." JJ said not taking her eyes off Will.

"Mommy…I'm scared." She said quietly.

"I know honey," JJ took another step backwards, picking the little girl up. "I promise it'll be ok if you go to your room." JJ said brushing the blonde curls from Abbey's face. "Please for me?" The child finally nodded and ran to her room as soon as her feet hit the ground.

"Come here, JJ." Will demanded.

"No Will, your too drunk tonight." JJ stood her ground, knowing full well that another step backwards and she'd be able to grab her gun.

"JJ, it wasn't a question!" He stepped forward making JJ take the last step. She turned grabbing the gun, leveling it with his head.

"I swear I will." She said in a calm voice.

"JJ!" Rage filled his eyes now and he started to cover the last few steps, she pulled the trigger sending a bullet right through his head.

"Oh god…" JJ ran and grabbed the phone.

"Prentiss."

"Emily I need you."


	2. Savior

Emily was up and out of bed as soon as she heard JJ's voice over the phone, she knew by just her tone that something happened. She kept replaying what JJ said to her 'Emily, I need you.' Over and over. Emily threw on her jeans that she wore the day before and ran out the door. As she pulled out of the driveway she had to distract herself from thinking on the twenty minute drive to JJ's house, she hit the volume button and turned it all the way up the mixed cd blared Right Here by Staind. She took a few deep breaths at the stop light becoming frustrated at how long it was taking, till she finally saw the flash of green, tries spinning she cursed her car and screamed at it to get traction. When she put her car in park in JJ's driveway not bothering to pull the key out of the ignition she just ran into the house.

"JJ?" She yelled throwing the door open.

"Em…" JJ said quietly. Emily ran to the kitchen seeing Will laying on the floor dead, she immediately went over to JJ. JJ sat on the floor knees tucked up to her chest, rocking slightly back and forth. Emily sat down next to her, pulling her close.

"JJ what happened?" She cooed softly in her ear, gently pushing the stray hair from her face.

"He…He had a knife…and Abbey was so close…she went to her room and he came at me…I didn't mean to hurt him." JJ started to bawl as she realized what she did.

"JJ, its ok, hush, you're ok." Emily started rocking back and forth with JJ wrapped in her arms. "Everything will be ok." JJ shook her head.

"I should've told you…he's been hurting me Em…this wasn't the first time." Emily held her close and just listened, as JJ cried into her shirt. "Why didn't I tell someone?"

"JJ, where's Abbey now?"

"I think…she's in her room." JJ said unsure.

"I'm going to go check on her ok? Come on you, come with me." Emily helped her up, not wanting JJ around Will's lifeless body a second longer. Emily pulled her close as they walked to the little girl's room. JJ slowly opened the door looking in at her daughter who was fast asleep on her floor.

"Alright, can you stay in here while I go call for… call 911?" Emily whispered in JJ's ear. JJ just nodded and walked over to Abbey picking her up, then laying her on the bed, curling up next to her. Emily watched then shut the door again quickly walking to the kitchen. She called 911 and explained what happened or at least as much as she knew.

Emily waited for the police to show up, she stared at Will's body. 'How could you hurt her? All she ever did was love you.' Emily thought to herself, she hated that she let JJ go so long ago and lost what she could've had, what Will broke.

When the knock finally came on the door she quickly answered it and let the officers in.

"Okay, what happened?" The older male officer asked, walking around Will's body, his body weight making the floor boards squeak.

"I don't really know, it's my friend's husband, she said he was coming at her…and she was protecting herself." Emily spoke quickly and quietly.

"So, she called you and not the cops?" The younger female officer asked.

"She was scared. When I got here she was sitting in the corner staring at him…she told me there were past issues too."

"A clean shot for a shaken women." The male officer observed.

"Hey! If you think she just shot him to get him out of the way your way, way wrong!" Emily yelled.

"I was just saying."

"She's FBI, we both are." Emily glared at him.

"Sorry…" He said, walking around more, "Looks like your story checks out, there's a knife over here."

"What kind?" The women asked.

"Cleaver."

"Typical man…" She said, then looked at Emily. "Men would pick the knife they think would be the most effective do the most damage."

"Women pick the knives that would be easy access to and fast, not something heavy, they want light so they can do multiple stabs if need be."

"Right."

"So, where is she?" The male officer asked, being very wary of Emily now.

"With her daughter."

"Oh," He shook his head, "its always harder with kids involved."

"Hate to break it to you but she was protecting herself!" Emily got frustrated. "Come on, you can talk to her yourself."

"Alright," he followed her to Abbey's room, she slowly opened the door revealing a sleeping JJ and Abbey.

"She didn't kill him out of hate…" The female officer said looking in on them.

"She still killed him, we have to take her in." Emily walked in sitting on the bright pink bed next to JJ.

"JJ." She laid a hand on JJ's shoulder. "Come on, JJ, wake up." JJ's eyes fluttered and slowly opened, she looked hopefully up at Emily.

"It was just a dream…but why…"

"I'm here because it wasn't just a dream." Emily said as JJ sat up, fresh tears sprang up in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to… he came at me... Oh Emily I killed him..." JJ once again cried into Emily's shoulder, Emily held her close.

"JJ, I know you didn't mean to but your going to have to talk to the police." At this JJ looked up, a serious look on her face.

"I want you and Hotch there." She said sternly, leaving no room for argument.

"I'll be there don't worry about that."

"Call Hotch, right now."

"Who's Hotch?" The male officer asks.

"Our boss." Emily replies quickly trying to shut him up.

"Mommy?" Abbey stirred, she looked up at Emily and the officers going wide eyed. "Mommy! Why are all these people here?" JJ sniffed and took Abbey into her arms.

"It's ok baby, they're here to help. And you know aunt Emmy." The girl looked up at Emily again and smiled.

"I do." Emily smiled back at her.

"Hey Abbs." Emily said making Abbey smiled wider.

"Hi aunt Emmy!" She looked back at JJ "Where's daddy?"

"Oh baby girl." JJ pulled her close. "I need to talk to you." She looked up at the officers. "Alone."

"Right." The female officer pulled the other away. Emily stood up kissing the top of Abbey's head.

"No," J grabbed her arm. "Stay…please." Emily nodded and sat back down. JJ looked at Abbey and sighed.

"You remember how dad and I were in a fight?"

"Uh huh."

"Well daddy didn't know what was going on, and he came at mommy…he had a knife. Baby, mommy had to protect herself and you, daddy died. I killed him…" Tears welled in Abbey's eyes.

"So…daddy's …dead?" Her voice cracked as she said the last word. JJ nodded holding Abbey even closer. The little girl looking between the two women, she finally latched onto JJ's neck and cried.

"It'll be ok baby." JJ said hugging her back.

"Daddy wont ever hurt us again." Abbey said between sobs, shocking Emily.

x-x-x

a/n: Thank you so much for the reviews, story alerts, ect. They made my day. This story is only 6 parts by the way and it is on an LJ site from about two years ago, though if you have read it you might want to reread it cause I'm working on a companion piece for it. Once again thank you for the encouragement.


	3. What Were You Expecting

Emily still shocked just stared at Abbey. 'How could…did Will hurt JJ? And Abbey?' JJ looked at Emily and grabbed her hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I should've told you, I should've told someone, should've left…"

"You did what you thought was right." She realized as soon as the words came out what JJ would think about, and how right in one person's mind could be wrong in another's, thankfully today they agreed. Emily smiled at her. "It's over now, that's all that matters." JJ nodded biting her lip. Emily wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close as JJ rested her head against Emily's chest she let out a sigh.

"It's over." She repeated her lower lip quivering as she held back tears.

"We need to go with the police, I'll follow with Abbey, ok?"

"Okay." Emily kissed the top of JJ's head.

"Thank you for coming." She said quietly.

"Thanks for calling me." Emily smiled.

"Hotch," Emily said walking over to her very exhausted looking boss, Abbey dead asleep in her arms.

"Emily, where is she?" Hotch asked immediately.

"Interview room three." Emily watched him. "She didn't do this."

"Don't tell me, let me make my own mind up." He said entering the interview room.

"Jennifer."

"Aaron he came at me."

"JJ…" Hotch sat down next to her. "Tell me what happened."

"He was drunk…yelling…he picked a knife up and I backed up then grabbed my gun when he lunged."

"You didn't provoke him."

"No."

"Didn't do this to get out?"

"No, Hotch I believe in divorce even if my family doesn't." He lowered his voice.

"You didn't do this to be free…so you could have another chance with Emily…. right?"

"I loved Will…once, but when he finally hit Abbey I stopped. Emily and I were….we have a past."

"He hit Abbey?"

"Go get her checked…"

"Right." Hotch looked up at the glass and nodded to Emily.

"Hey Abbey you wanna go see a friend of mine?" Emily smiled at the little girl.

"O.K" Abbey nodded resting her head back on Emily's shoulder. Emily walked out and took Abbey down to the front lobby, setting her in a chair she grabbed her phone.

"Sam, I need a favor…yeah uh, abuse, JJ's kid."

"Bring her here now." Sam said.

"I owe you huge for this one."

" Naw, its JJ's girl. I'd do anything for those blue eyes."

"Coming right now." Emily hung up and picked Abbey, who fell back asleep, up walking toward the door.

"What are we looking for?

"Anything that would point to abuse. Bruises, broken bones, yeah that stuff." Emily stopped herself from rambling, she trusted Sam, always has.

"Hi there Abbey, I know your mommy." Abbey kinda gives a half nod. "Do you want a sucker?"

"No, I want chocolate." Abbey said clearly and politely, eyes widening.

"I have that too."

"Can I have some…"

"Sure, you know… your mommy loves chocolate too." He grabbed a bar from his desk giving it to her.

"I know she said when she was going to have me she couldn't have coffee so she had chocolate." Abbey smiled and ate another piece.

"So Abbey, I need you to sit still, we are going to take some pictures of your bones."

"O.k." Abbey grinned sitting very still.

"Em, come with me." They walk off toward a side room. Sam took the x-rays quickly and nodded to Emily to go tell Abbey its ok.

"Abbs, come on over here." Emily smiled as the little girl hopped down and ran over to her.

"Emily, you might want to see this…" Sam poked his head out.

"What..." Emily walked over Abbey in her arms. A picture of Abbey's torso appeared on the screen, covered in purple splotches. "What…Sam, explain…please?"

"What your looking at is bruising that is so deep it won't show up on the surface." Sam explained. "But you wont believe this." He put up an x-ray. "See this?" he pointed to thickness in the ribs. "They've been broken, a lot." Emily nodded and hands Abbey to Sam pulling out her phone, She slowly walked back into the exam room.

"Hotch…" Emily was so angry she doesn't know what to say. "I'm coming back."

"That bad?" He asked.

"Worse." She hung up and walked over to Sam. "Can you…follow me back?"

"And take the kid? Yeah, and don't worry about it. I'll put playhouse Disney or something on, so she cant hear anything."

"You know me too well."

"It's part of being a friend, and the mini vans a plus." He smiled.


	4. last time

"What in god's name was she thinking!" Emily screamed in her car, trying to block out what she just learned about Abbey and possibly JJ. "Why would she not say anything?" Emily slammed her hand against the steering wheel, tears welling up. She shakes her head and turn the volume up, listening to the guitar part of Shadow On The Sun by Audioslave. The music always seemed to do one of two things either calm her or fuel the insanity, today it was fueling. The light turned red and she slowly rolled to a stop. Its dark enough still to see the other light is green, she waits till its yellow then slowly lets off the break. The song changed and Tangled by Maroon 5 filled the air. Emily sat paying more attention to the lyrics than the road. Slowly she started to relate it to what happened between the two of them…she remembered telling JJ 'if you go off and fuck random men when your mad at me maybe you should stay with one of them!' she remembered being so mad at her and going back to her room and drinking right from the bottle of Jacks. She remembered making up with her but they couldn't, no matter how hard they tried get back in a relationship, both were too hurt and scared. The song changed again to Live's Lighting Crashes, making Emily smile. She always thought of JJ when she heard it, she figured it was the angel pale blue eyes line that set her into memories. Emily realized that maybe if she wouldn't have fought with JJ that night long ago, none of this would've happened. It ripped at her heart, JJ would've never had to kill Will, and Will would've never hurt JJ or Abbey. JJ would be sleeping in her arms right now, Abbey in her own room tucked in knowing she's loved. The images flashed in front of Emily constantly, till she pulled up in front of the police station again. She rolled her window up and stepped out.

"You good?" Sam asked.

"Better." Emily nodded giving a weak smile.

"So I can leave the kid with you and not have to worry about the news reporting some crazy lady killed coworkers child?" Sam smirked.

"Yeah." Emily tried to sound offended but ended up laughing. Sam pulled Abbey out of his car and she latched on to Emily's legs.

"Don't ever make me goes with him again!" Abbey said looking up at Emily.

"Why? I thought driving well was part of the mini van package?" Emily picked the girl up and started to walk inside.

"He watches Sponge Bob." She said adding a shiver to prove her point.

"I thought every kid loved Sponge Bob." Sam admitted putting a hand on Emily's shoulder the other ruffling Abbey's hair.

"Not really, JJ refuses to let Abbey watch it cause its so annoying."

"He scares me too!" Abbey added.

"What's so scary about a yellow sponge?"

"Oh plenty of things." Emily grinned.

"His laugh" Abbey eyes turned to saucers as she talked. "And his eyes…" Emily laughed and nodded.

"Yeah his eyes creep me out too." Emily walked over to the front desk pulling out her I.D. "Agent Hotchner, he still up stairs?"

"Yup with Jareau," the lady smiled and pointed toward the elevator. "4th floor, we also have a child care center…."

"No thanks." Emily stated walking toward the elevator.

"But I wanna go" Abbey pouted.

"Honey, no you don't, trust me." Abbey looked up at Emily with her best puppy dog eyes. "Your mom would kill me…" Abbey gave a little whine that pulled at Emily's heart. "She needs you right now darling." Abbey finally nodded and rested her head on Emily's shoulder.

"Is mommy going to be ok?"

"I can't promise anything but I hope so."

"Wont uncle Aaron help her?"

"Yes and so will I and Uncle Derek and Spencer and auntie Penelope."

"I know your going to help." Emily smiled, stepping off the elevator.

"Emily," JJ called sitting against a wall hands cuffed. Emily walked over setting Abbey down.

"Hey, they really don't need you cuffed do they?"

"No."

"Hey, get her out of these now." Emily said to a younger cop sternly not trying to scare him but she scared everyone in the room with her tone.

"Yes ma'am" He said running away.

"My mothers name is Ma'am!" Emily called after him.

"Emily you didn't have to scare the poor guy." JJ laughed.

"I didn't."

"Mom, am I going to have to live with someone else?"

"No, Abbey, don't worry about it. Everything will be ok soon enough."

"But…"

"No, no buts. I promise no matter what happens you will be taken care of." As JJ finished she looked at Emily and Emily had a flash of the day when JJ said she could see her with kids.

"Everything will be ok , if anything happens to your mom, I'll take you." Emily knew that's what JJ wanted to hear.

"If Emily says so, I have no problem with her taking you baby girl."

"Why cant I stay with you?" Abbey pouted, nuzzling close to her mother.

"Because some people think I may have killed your father on purpose." When the officer came back JJ moved so the young cop could get her cuffs off.

"But you didn't!"

"There's others who believe that baby, there really are."

"Lets just hope for the best." Emily added.

"Lets… now Uncle Aaron would love to see you." JJ told Abbey. "He's right over there." Abbey smiled kissing her mom on the cheek and ran over to Hotch.

"Why'd you say that?" JJ asked Emily quietly.

"What?"

"That you'd take her?"

"Because if I wasn't as stupid as I was all that time ago, none of this would've happened, and she'd be mine, ours."

"You know that would have been impossible."

"Would it?" Emily sighed, "JJ, look at your wedding all I could think about was standing up and saying no. All I wanted to do was go back to the night we fought and said it'll be ok, I still love you not I hate you. Every time I look at Abbey, I only see you, no matter how much everyone says she's like him its you I see."

"You should've stood, I was begging you to. I kept thinking I was ruining my life and I could've saved what was left of us."

"No…"

"Em."

"No, I would've stood and lost you all over again I couldn't make the choice for you."

"Emily I know, I know why you didn't stand, you loved me so much you wanted me happy you would've given up your own dreams for mine."

"I did, and I can't have it back according to you."

"You really want it back?" JJ asked tears welling up.

"More than anything, but you come back to me, its giving you motive."

"I know."

"So when…"

"When this is over." JJ smiled finishing it for her. "Take Abbey to your place…"

"She'll be ok I promise."

"I know."

"You know, if I had chosen to stay to stick it out, we could home right now."

"You know, I was thinking the same thing." JJ smiled. "I can see you holding her, protecting her."

"Its where I'd want to be."

"You were always the rock in our family even though you weren't part of it."

"JJ, I'll always be here for you and her an I always have been, don't forget that."

"I could never forget that Emily. You came back for me when I asked you to."

"Ms. Jareau, we can take you now." A cop walked up taking JJ back into the interrogation room.


	5. The Catalyst

4 years ago (or in other words Abbey's one)

"What do you mean she quit? Is it not your job to make sure she doesn't?"

"JJ, calm down, we lose FBI agents all the time."

"That's total bull Hotch and you know it."

"Well we don't but the rest of the branches do."

"Hotch, where is she?"

"JJ you know I would tell you but she made me swear not to."

"What are you 8? Swearing to do things. Hotch tell me now or I swear…"

"She said something about traveling the United States, she's…"

"Seen the world." 'I've seen the world JJ, but here, now, its like nothing else is real.' JJ remembered what Emily had told her.

"Right."

"I'll be back." JJ said running out the door taking the stairs because its just a little faster. JJ jumped in her car pulling back onto the expressway. She sped down the road and turned off on the exit she's been down hundreds of times with Emily. She parked the car next to Emily's and ran down toward the woods. JJ knew the tails by heart now, only because Emily showed her though, she had no idea they were here before. She turned off the path and headed toward the place Emily took her saying 'if the whole world had a place like this, no one would fight and everyone would care about everyone else.' Slowly JJ walked up next to Emily taking a seat next to her.

"Em…"

"You remember the first time we came here?" JJ nodded. "I could never forget it." JJ smiled.

"Em, why'd you leave?"

"Because JJ, they are your family and I can't be there with you knowing that you're not mine."

"Come back, don't leave because of me, I still need you." Emily looked at her.

"Your married to him, you love him."

"And you're my best friend, don't you leave me all alone because you think its right, you can't be righteous all the time."

"And it's not right?"

"Far from it."

"So…"

"Come back, even if I chose him over you, and I shouldn't have… I still love you and want you here with me."

"You know, I've never shown anyone this place before, and I don't plan to ever, so… as long as you know about it…if you ever want to just come here."

"Emily, this is your place."

"No, It's ours."

x-x-x

a/n: Sorry about the slow update, I've been visiting my great grandma today, and tomorrow I'll be in a car all day, so no update for about 20 hours.


	6. Cry Freedom

"Emily…Emily…" Emily finally woke up with Morgan sitting right in front of her.

"Shit Morgan! Can't you ever let me sleep?" Emily almost jumped back from the close proximity.

"I have…for hours."

"But…"

"It's ten in the morning."

"Christ, where's Abbey? Where's JJ? What've I missed?"

"Whoa, slow down. Abbey is with JJ who is still in custody but things are looking up. They've complied evidence and should be releasing her soon." Emily sighed sitting back down.

"Oh god, that's great."

"Now, she's asking for you."

"Right, thanks Derek."

"Not a problem," He helped her up and Emily walked off toward the last place she saw JJ.

"So jail bird is getting let go?" JJ turned and looked at Emily.

"Seems like it." She smiled.

"So?"

"Self defense."

"Good!"

"So…take me home?"

"Yeah, grab the kid." Emily smiled at Abbey who's sprawled out across the table, asleep. JJ picked her up and walked toward Emily.

"Signing her out." Emily said to an officer.

"Yup, she can just go, sorry about all that." The same male officer said as JJ passed. "Sorry for what happened ma'am." He added, JJ just nodded. Emily smiled nodding at the officer wrapping an arm around JJ's shoulders.

"Lets go home." JJ sighed.

"That's the plan."

"No, no plans, lets just take it day by day, minute by minute."

"Right, but then my plan to be with you forever, and hopefully one day ask you to marry me, what happens with that?"

"Well in that case, what's next? And tomorrow? And next week?" Emily smiled and held JJ close as they walked out of the police station.

x-x-x

a/n: that's it, thanks for reading. I've been working on a sequel so watch out for that.


End file.
